The present invention relates to a pepper grinding tool, which has an inner grinding part turnable relative to an outer grinding part to grind pepper in between, and particularly to one, of which the inner grinding part has one-way movement such that pepper can be ground relatively smoothly.
Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, a conventional pepper grinding tool, with British Patent No. 2256378, has a pressing block 10, a toothed bar 20, a gear wheel 30, a gear cluster 301, a shaft 40, an inner grinding part 50 and an outer grinding part 60.
The pressing block 10 is depressable to move the toothed bar 20 downwards; when the pressing block 10 is released, the toothed bar 20 is biased up by an elastic member. The gear wheel 30 is connected to the toothed bar 20 and the gear cluster 301. The shaft 40 is connected to the gear cluster 301 and the inner grinding part 50 such that when the toothed bar 20 is moved up and down, the inner grinding part 50 can be turned by means of the gear wheel 30, the gear cluster 301 and the shaft 40.
The inner grinding part 50 is disposed in the outer grinding part 60 which is fixedly disposed in the pepper grinding tool.
Thus, the inner grinding part 50 can turn relative to the inner grinding part 60 to grind pepper in between.
However, the pepper grinding tool is found to have a disadvantage that the inner grinding part 50 turns in one direction when the pressing block 10 is depressed, and the other direction when the pressing block is released, making the grinding movement not relatively smooth, especially when there are big pepper granule between the grinding parts 50, 60.
Therefore, it is a main object of the present invention to provide a pepper grinding tool, of which the inner grinding part can turn relative to the outer grinding part in only one direction to make a relatively smooth grinding movement.
The pepper grinding tool of the present invention includes a housing member, a grinding assembly and a one-way member.
The housing member has an operation lever pivotably connected with it.
The grinding assembly has an inner grinding part and an outer grinding part. The outer part is fixedly received in the housing member. The inner part is turnable relative to the outer part to grind pepper in between.
The one-way member is received in the housing member, and has a turnable main body in the housing. The main body has a central round hole, and several curved slots around the central round hole; the curved slots each ha an engaging end portion in open communication with the central round hole. The curved slots each receives an engaging block biased towards the engaging end portion by a spring.
When the main body of the one-way member is turned in a first direction by means of pressing the operation lever, the engaging blocks will be moved to the engaging end portions to engage a ring fitted in the central round hole, making the ring turn together with the main body. Thus, the inner grinding part associated with the ring can turn to grind pepper.
The main body is turned back in an opposite direction by a torsional spring connected to it when the operation lever is released, not able to make the ring and the inner grinding part turn because the engaging blocks are moved away from the engaging end portions, and don""t engage the ring any longer. Therefore, the inner grinding part can only be turned in the first direction to grind pepper.